This is a lengthier and wordier post than most of my other entries.
I wanted to remember this experience, so this is my "journal" entry for Landon's birth story.
Feel free to read on, there are some cute pictures at the end!
I had been having contractions for the last couple weeks. I'd have them for several hours, then they'd dissipate. They weren't super painful, but definitely noticeable.
As Brett and I crawled into bed late on the evening of September 11th, I felt a few more contractions that were a little more intense. But nothing that didn't keep me from drifting off to sleep a few minutes later.
The morning of Wednesday September 12th, I woke up around 6:20 with some contractions that were more intense. I hopped in a hot shower and ate some breakfast. Then I went back to bed for a little while. The contractions continued sporatically, but they seemed just like the Braxton-Hicks I'd had before. I went to my doctor's appointment at 10:40 am, she stripped my membranes. I was dilated over a 3 and close to 90% effaced. She told me that I would most likely have the baby in a day or two, but I wasn't really sure. I stopped at McDonald's and treated myself to a dipped ice cream cone.
I spent the afternoon at my mom's house--chatting, and hanging out. My contractions were definitely regular now, but I thought that they'd dwindle in a few hours. Just slightly more intense, but nothing that I couldn't walk or talk through, I hardly even focused on them. After a couple hours, I started glancing at the clock, it seemed my contractions were about 5 minutes apart.
I headed home and relaxed for a little while until Brett got home from work. I took Cubby for a walk around the neighborhood, chatted with a ward member in her front yard, did the irrigation. Brett got home and ran to a quick meeting, I put in a load of laundry and took a hot bath.
By the time Brett got home, the contractions were more intense, I was starting to feel a lot of pain. But I was nervous they would turn me down, I wasn't really convinced I was in labor. Brett felt confident that they would keep me there, and that I was in fact--in labor. After a little longer, I told Brett that we should just go, I was starting to hurt pretty good.
We loaded up the car with the carseat, our hospital bag, the diaper bag, and made our way down the freeway. Of course the parking lot was packed. Brett dropped me off in the front while he parked the car. I paced the sidewalk during contractions, trying to dull the pain. Brett came jogging up and we made our way into the maternity ward.
They sent me to a triage room, told me to "gown up" and wait for them to check on me. My contractions were a minute to a minute and a half apart by now, I was hurting. Those gowns are ridiculous, it's impossible to figure out how to snap up the shoulder. Brett was trying to help me, I told him to stop, I was past caring. He still cared though, and snapped me up. We laugh about it now, but I didn't think it was very funny then.
The nurse came in, strapped on the monitors. "Wow, you are having regular contractions. You are doing so good breathing through them." I was dilated to a 5.
"You mean, I get to stay?"
"Yes, we'll admit you now. Were you wanting anything for pain?"
I turned to Brett and smiled, "I am in labor, they'll keep me!"
Then I turned to the nurse, "Yes, I'd like an epidural, when can I get one?"
She told me I could get one in about 20 minutes, as soon as I'd finished the bag of IV fluids. She left to prep my room and call anesthesia. I moved to the delivery room. I got my epidural. The anesthesiologist hadn't even left and I was already smiling. I couldn't believe how good I felt now. I felt like having a baby was manageable, like I could do it.
Brett went out to the car to get some of our things. I texted back and forth with our good friend, Kelly, who was working in postpartum upstairs, awaiting my arrival--hopefully on her shift! Brett came back and turned on a movie, and we just decided to hunker down, first babies take a long time to come.
The nurse came to check me, I was at an 8 and she was shocked. She told me he might be here soon. My sisters said they'd be coming soon and were leaving their house in just a few minutes.
My water broke.
The nurse came in a few minutes later and said it was time to try a "practice push". After just one, she said we'd better stop, she needed to let the doctor know how close I was. Just a minute later, she came back in and said it was time to start pushing! Brett wasn't even very far into his movie yet...but he paused it :)
It was just minutes after midnight, I started the pushing. After just a couple, the nurse ran to get the doctor. Nurses came in, the doctor arrived, and all were in awe this was my first baby.
Just a few more pushes and baby Landon arrived at 12:14 am. They layed him on my chest, he was perfect. I couldn't believe I was holding my son! Then I handed him to Brett. He was beaming. Then he got "initiated" into fatherhood and had some urine running down his arm in a matter of seconds. We all had a good giggle. They whisked him away to be weighed and measured.
6 pounds, 5 ounces
19.5 inches long
He was beautiful. Hardly swollen, and just precious. Family who was on their way for the birth flooded in the room. Unfortunately, they missed it. But thankfully, he was here.
Soon they took us up to our recovery room. Kelly came to visit, she took Landon to the nursery for his first bath. The middle of the night quickly turned into the morning. It was daytime, shift changes were happening, and we were in a sleep-deprived heaven.
We came home, Friday September 14th, during the late afternoon.
He is already back up to his birthweight--eating like a champ (just like his daddy!).
He is taking a pacifier, and is still not too thrilled about bathtime.
He has already been on a few "walks" around the neighborhood.
And we love when we catch him smirking in his sleep.
We are so smitten and so in love.
They were like this for minutes, just the two of them looking at each other. Sweet moments of father and son getting to know each other.
